Brad Penny will make his first start for the Marlins since 2004 on Saturday

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The Miami Marlins will have a familiar face on the mound on Saturday when Brad Penny starts against the Cincinnati Reds.

Penny was a member of the 2003 World Champion Marlins and pitched with the franchise 2000-2004. During that last season Penny was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers where he went on to be a two-time All-Star.

Penny had been pitching well in AAA New Orleans since signing a minor-league deal with the Marlins in mid-June. The veteran who sat out the entire 2013 Major League Baseball season is looking to rejuvenate his career in Miami.

In AAA, Penny made five starts and was 2-2 with a 2.28 E.R.A. What stands out even more for Penny is his control. In those starts, Penny struck out 26 and walked nine in 27.2 innings pitched. The 36-year old went six innings in three of the starts and the Marlins are in need of an arm that can give a tired bullpen some rest.

The last major league action that Penny saw came in 2012 with the San Francisco Giants. In that season, Penny pitched in 22 games and they were all out of the bullpen. The veteran had a 6.11 E.R.A in his 28 innings on the mound and gave up an eye-opening 42 hits.

In 2011, Penny was a starter with the Detroit Tigers and made 31 starts. The right-hander had a 5.30 E.R.A and went 11-11 on the season. It was a tough year for Penny following a short 2010 season that saw him only make nine appearances.

To make room on the roster for Penny, the Marlins optioned Edgar Olmos back to AAA. The prospect had been recalled earlier in the day to replace Bryan Flynn on the roster.

Published at 10:21 PM EDT on Aug 8, 2014

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